Posts
Characters:
Xue Lingsu (Purple Cavern Sect)
Xi Kang(Affiliated with Mr. Red Claw)
Zhi Zhu (No Sect)
Long Shu (Purple Cavern Sect)
Min (Purple Cavern Sect)
Rong (Tree-Dwelling Nun Sect)
Jia (Long Shu's snake demon wife)
Nuan (Xi Kang's disciple)
The party found their way into the forests of Dhamma and came to Kwam Metta, the village once under the protection of Iron Sky Maiden. As they approached they saw that the settlement was walled with a gate and that it appeared abandoned. From a distance they could see shapes of human figures inside but none seemed to move. Zhi Zhu climbed onto the rooftops of Kwam Metta and made her way toward the center of town where a great pagoda towered above the houses. On her way she saw that the shapes were people but they appeared frozen. The pagoda was about five stories tall and the wall of the upper floor was torn out, revealing a room. Zhi Zhu climbed the tower for a better view and saw a dead body on the floor being eaten by an enormous bird with a long neck and copper colored beak (a venomous Zhen bird). She also saw a contorted humanoid body clambering through the market area and gurgling before she returned to the party.
Long Shu and Jia were able to guess that the people were likely Phoenix Ghosts, people whose phoenix and dragon spirits were separated through unnatural means, causing their bodies to freeze. Long Shu tested this idea by approaching one, which immediately animated and attacked him. He escaped and they decided to approach the pagoda from the eastern wall. The party had some difficulty climbing, with Long Shu and Zhi Zhu both falling before they made it over. Once inside they were careful to avoid the frozen bodies and went into the Pagoda.
In the first floor they found a giant statue of Hen-Shi with thousands of smaller golden statues surrounding her. There were stairs going up and down, so they took the downward stairs first.
They came to a room filled with bones and skeletal bodies. As soon as they walked toward another set of stairs heading down, they were attacked by eight skeletons. These proved little threat as they shattered them with one kung fu technique after another.
The stairs eventually led them to a large underground room with a massive statue of Iron Sky Maiden. They felt a powerful tremor in their bodies and soon realized it was the voice of the Iron Sky Maiden speaking to them. "You may ask me one question, and only one question" she said.
The party debated what to ask and settled on "What do you love most in the world" (they had been told that to get Iron Sky Maiden's favor they needed to bring her a gift of the thing she loved most). Her answer was "Kwam Metta". They debated what this meant and concluded it most likely indicated they should help restore the Phoenix Ghosts.
They continued down and came to another chamber, this one with a fist-sized jade turtle statue with an amber glow in its center. Xi Kang took the turtle and they continued to the upper chamber of the pagoda.
On the second story of the pagoda was a room filled with reliquaries. Here they were confronted by the rotting corpses of Dancing Hawk and Madame Hamaya. Zhi Zhu attempted Arms of Silk but both figures passed effortless through the fabric once ensured Dancing Hawk attacked but his fluttering kicks were easily deflected. Madame Hamaya unleashed her own Arms of Silk technique against Long Shu and Zhi Zhu (ensnaring Long Shu). Once again the party proved victorious, and Madame Hamay proved to be the bigger challenge.
On the third floor of the pagoda they came to a room with numerous wall scrolls featuring a number of different landscapes (The Tomb of the Timeless Master, Zun Valley, etc). A number of shadowy figures emerged from the air, Rong was able to discern that these figures resembled the party members. A fight between them began and it proved somewhat futile for both sides as they were able to attack and counter each other's moves fairly easily. Rong took a chance and lashed one of the wall scrolls, which causes a foe to evaporate. The party quickly destroyed all the wall scrolls, eliminating the remaining threats.
On the fourth floor, the party came to an empty chamber with the word DESTINY written in Feishu script on the floor. They then saw three phantom figures at the back of the room. The central one looked like a Eunuch, while the two on either side appeared to be black armored guards. One of the flanking figures leapt forward and lashed out with a spinning spear attack that unleashed a circular blast of energy. In the end they were able to stop the threat by killing the eunuch.
Upon the fifth floor they came upon the Zhen bird and Zhi Zhu used Arms of Silk so the party could take the body. Searching it they found a dragon-phoenix seal. They also saw writing on the written by a disciple of the village's successor to Iron Sky Maiden, 7th Brother. According to the text, the village was under attack from invaders and 7th Brother had placed the spirits of the residents into a Jade Turtle (the one the party possessed) but was turned into a demon before he could finish the rite. It said he had to be restored so he could complete the ritual.
The party left the Pagoda and went into the street, where they were attacked by a luminous figure with bird-like features (7th Brother). Seventh Brother was enraged by the party's intrusion and their questioning infuriated him further. He immediately attacked unleashing a blast of energy that caused Long Shu's body to evaporate.
This drove Xi Kang into a rage who attacked the demon. With the aid of Rong and Zhi Zhu he managed to chase it down the road and destroy it (at least temporarily). While the rest of the party comforted Jia, Kang went back to the chamber of the Iron Sky Maiden and demanded answers.
Meanwhile Long Shu awakened in the road, in daylight (it was night when he evaporated), finding it filled with people going about their business. Walking back to the pagoda he found the body of 7th Brother laid on a mat and in a deep sleep. There were people praying nearby and they informed him that Mengwai (the disciple of 7th brother) was responsible and being held on the edge of town. Long Shu went and found Mengwei in a cage, protected by a man named Kraeting. He convinced Kraeting to release Mengwei who said he knew how to help 7th Brother.
Speaking with Iron Sky Maiden, Kang explained the situation. He had a long conversation with Iron Sky Maiden (which she informed him would require her to take five months of rest) and learned that if he placed the statue of the turtle into the body of 7th Brother, he would restore and be able to finish the ritual. She told him though they had destroyed the body of 7th Brother he would return within the hour.
Long Shu, who was inside the Jade Turtle, went to the Pagoda with Mengwei, where the disciple began to chant.
As they did this, Kang returned to the party and they awaited 7th Brother's return. When he appeared, he was much larger than before and descended upon them from the sky. Kang threw the Jade Turtle and when it made contact there was a flash of light. 7th Brother's body was sucked into the turtle and the Phoenix Spirits of the residents were also pulled into it. When it was complete, Long Shu re-appeared beside them.
They stayed the night in the village, in the former residence of 7th Brother. There Rong found a book The Pillars of the Sky (which was related to Iron Sky Maiden) and took it for the road.
They continued back to Purple Cavern Sect, having some minor excursions on the way. When they reached the sect headquarters they learned that Lady Plum Blossom had taken most of the disciples to attack Mystic Sword Temple the day before.
This is where the session ended.
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